Star of His Heart
She swallowed and broke eye contact with him again as she turned to reach for her makeup kit. “Comfortable?”
“Yes.”
“Then why are you so nervous?” she decided to ask him while checking different tubes of makeup cream for one that would work with his complexion and skin type. It was August, and although the air conditioner on the set would be on full blast, all the lighting being used would generate heat. She needed to prevent any facial shiny spots from showing up on camera.
He shifted in his seat and she glanced over at him. “This is the first day on the job of what I see as my big break,” he said, straightening in the chair. “This is what I’ve worked my ass off for since the day I decided acting was what I wanted to do. I’ve done small parts in theater and guest spots on a couple of shows and was even an extra on Avatar, but being here, getting this opportunity, is a dream come true.”
She nodded, knowing just how he felt. She had wanted to step out on her own without any help from her family’s name. She had submitted her résumé to Glenn Productions and had gotten called in for an interview with both Frasier and John. Although Frasier had been a friend of her father’s, and both men were well acquainted with Sofia since she was Uncle Jacob’s partner in the family business, Rachel was convinced she had been given the job on her own merits and hadn’t been given any preferential treatment.
This was her second season on the show and she worked doubly hard to make sure Frasier and John never regretted their decision to give her a chance. So, yes, she knew all about dreams coming true.
The first thing she thought as she applied a light brush to Ethan’s face was that he had flawless skin with a healthy glow. He had perfect bone structure and his lips were shapely and full. She bent toward him to gently brush his brows and was glad he had closed his eyes since crazy things were going on in the pit of her stomach. A tightness was there that had never been there before. She drew in a deep breath to relieve the pressure. His aftershave smelled good. Almost too good for her peace of mind.
“So tell me, Rachel, what’s your dream?”
She smiled. “What makes you think I have one?”
“All women do.”
She chuckled. “Sounds like you think you know us pretty well.”
“I wouldn’t say that, but I would think everyone has at least one dream they would love to see come true.”
“I agree, and this is mine—being a makeup artist and wardrobe designer.”
“You’re good at it. Very professional.”
He opened his eyes to meet hers and she was aroused in a way that just wasn’t acceptable, especially for a woman who made it her motto never to mix business with pleasure.
“Thanks,” she said, taking a step back and reaching over to grab a hand mirror to give to him. “You didn’t need much. I don’t believe in being heavy-handed with makeup.”
“I can appreciate that.”
She had made up enough men in her day to know if they had a choice they would gladly skip this part in preparing for their scene. “Now for that tattoo. I have just the thing to blend in with your skin tone that won’t rub off. And later you can wash it off.”
“Okay.”
He held out his arm and she began applying the cream. Against her fingertips, his skin felt warm, slowly sending her body into meltdown. She could feel his eyes on her but refused to glance up and look at him for fear that he would know what touching him was doing to her. Instead she tried concentrating on what she was doing. This time, though, she was too distracted by other things, such as the feel of his strong veins beneath her fingers and the rapid beat of his pulse. Her body responded with a raging flood of desire that seeped into her bones.
Not being able to resist temptation any longer, she looked over at him. For a long, achingly seductive moment, they stared at each other. She wanted to look away but it was as if he controlled the movement of her neck and it refused to budge. She swallowed the panic she felt lodged in her throat as she slowly released his hand. So much for being a firm believer in the separation of business and pleasure. For a moment, no matter how brief, thoughts had filled her mind about how it would be to take her hand and rub it down his chest and then move her hand even lower to—
There was a quick knock at the door before it opened and Paige walked in. And for the first time ever, Rachel was glad to see the woman.
Chapter Three
“If he’s as hot as you say he is, then maybe you should let him know you might be interested, Rachel.”
Rachel wiped paint from her hands as she glared at the phone. If her best friend since elementary school wasn’t there in person to see her frown, transmitting it through the speakerphone was the next best thing. “I’m not interested.”
And because she knew Charlene would belabor the point, she went on the defensive and said, “Look, Cha, I thought you of all people would understand. You know I don’t like mixing business with pleasure. Besides, I have plenty of work to do.”
Charlene laughed. “You always have plenty of work to do. If becoming involved with a man is a way to slow you down, then I’m all for it. It’s time you started having fun.”
Rachel rolled her eyes. “I could say the same for you.”
“Face it. Men aren’t drawn to me like they are to you.”
Rachel pulled in a deep breath knowing there was no use telling Charlene just how wrong she was. Her words would go in one ear and out the other. For once she wished Charlene would be the one to face it and see that she was beautiful and sexy.
Charlene had to be the kindest and sweetest person Rachel knew, but she always slid to the background when it came to dating and romance. Rachel blamed Charlene’s parents, since they always thought their older daughter, Candis, was the “pretty one” and had always put her in the limelight. As far as Rachel was concerned, Charlene had a lot going for her, including a beautiful singing voice.
“I’m in no mood to argue with you, Cha. You know how mad I get when you put yourself down.”
“I’m not putting myself down. I’m just stating facts.”
“Then let me state a few of my own,” Rachel said. “I’m the one on set every day surrounded by gorgeous men. The only problem is that those men are checking out the tall, slender actresses, not me.”
When Charlene didn’t say anything, Rachel had a feeling there was more going on with her friend. “Okay, Cha, what’s wrong?”
There was another long moment before Charlene replied, “I talked to Mom today.”
Rachel slumped down into a chair. Mrs. Quinn was the mom from hell, and that was putting it kindly. She’d always managed to boost one daughter up while at the same time tearing the other one down. “And?”
“And she wanted me to know that Candis made the cut for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition next year and will be staying in Paris for a while.”
“That’s great, and I’m sure you’re happy for her.” Rachel knew she could say that because deep down she knew Charlene was. Candis and Charlene had a rather good relationship despite the competitive atmosphere created by their mother.
“Yes, of course I’m happy for her.”
“And?”
“And what?” Charlene asked.
Rachel pulled in a deep breath; her patience was wearing thin. “And what else did Mrs. Quinn say?”
“Just the usual about she still doesn’t understand how Candis could be so pretty and me so plain when we had the same parents. She ended the call by even suggesting that maybe she and Dad got the wrong baby from the hospital. She said it in a joking way but I knew she was dead serious.”
Rachel bet the woman had been dead serious as well, but she would never tell Charlene that. That was the kind of garbage she’d had to put up with all her life. “She wasn’t serious, Cha. You and your mother look too much alike for you to be anyone’s baby but hers.”
Evidently Mrs. Quinn never took the time to notice the similarity. Or maybe she had noticed and since she’d never been happy with her own looks, she was passing her insecurities on to Charlene.
Rachel thought about her own situation. She had been raised by her uncle Jacob and her aunt Lily after her parents had been killed. Rachel had been only one year old and Sofia had been ten. Her aunt and uncle were wonderful and had raised her and Sofia as their own children, since unfortunately they’d never had any. The one thing Uncle Jacob and Aunt Lily didn’t do was play her and Sofia against each other. Everyone knew that Sofia wanted to follow in their father’s footsteps and take his place with Uncle Jacob at Limelight.
Although her uncle and sister would have loved for her to join them in the family business, Rachel had never been pressured to do so. She chuckled, thinking it was enough to have Sofia as her agent.
“Hey, let’s do a movie this weekend,” she suggested, thinking her best friend needed some chilling time.
“Sounds super, but don’t you have a lot to do?”
Rachel laughed. “I always have a lot to do, but I need a break to have fun, and it sounds like you do, too.”
A short while later, Rachel made her way to the kitchen, hungry after missing lunch. On the way home she had stopped by a restaurant owned by one of the cameramen’s parents. She considered Jack Botticello her buddy, and his parents were truly a godsend. Whenever she dropped by their Italian restaurant, Botticello’s Place, for takeout, they always gave her more food than she could possibly eat in one sitting. There would definitely be enough lasagna left for tomorrow’s dinner.
As she sat down at the table to enjoy her meal, she recalled everything that had happened on the set that day, especially the scenes that included Ethan Chambers. She couldn’t help but remember the moment he had walked into a patient’s hospital room. To say he swaggered into the room would probably be more accurate. And when he began speaking in what was supposed to be a northern accent, all eyes and ears were on him. There was no doubt in her mind he was a gifted actor. It was as if the part of Dr. Tyrell Perry had been created just for him.
She couldn’t wait for the airing of the show in a few weeks to see how he would be received by the viewing audience. It would probably be no different than the way he’d been received on the set. Women were all but falling at his feet, doing just about anything to get his attention.
He had mentioned to a member of the camera crew in between scenes that he was going to get a cup of coffee. The three women who’d overheard him had all but broken their necks racing across the room to the coffee cart to get it for him. She could tell he’d actually gotten embarrassed by their antics. That surprised her. Most men would be gloating about all the attention. But then, this had been his first day on the job. There was no doubt in her mind that eventually his media-hungry playboy tendencies would come out. It was only a matter of time.
Unbidden, the memories surfaced of what had happened during their makeup session that day. Had he deliberately tried to unnerve her? Break down her defenses so she would behave the way Tina, Cindy and Nina had done today with the coffee incident? It wouldn’t surprise her to discover he was just as superficial as all the other playboys in Hollywood. And to think for a short while today she’d actually been attracted to him. But with his make-you-drool looks, the attraction couldn’t be helped. It had a way of vamping your senses the first time around.
And his family had money. He’d mentioned his roots were in Napa Valley, but it was only later that day when she’d overheard some of the camera crew talking about how wealthy he already was that she realized he was one of those Chamberses. There were two African American families whose roots and vast financial empires were in Napa Valley. The Russells and the Chamberses. Both families’ vineyards were known to produce some of wine tasters’ finest.
So, okay, she had let her guard down and let herself be affected by him. But tomorrow would be better. She had gotten used to him and would be more in control.
With that resolved, she proceeded to finish her meal.
“Do you promise, Uncle Ethan?”
Ethan couldn’t help but smile. “Yes, I promise.”
“Truly?”
“Yes, truly.”
His six-year-old niece, Kendra, had him wrapped around her finger and probably knew it, he thought. When his parents had mentioned to her that Los Angeles was close to Disneyland, she had begun asking him questions. Mainly she wanted to know if he’d seen any princesses.
Just to hear her voice was a sheer delight because Kendra hadn’t done much talking since her mother had died three years ago in a car accident. She had pretty much been withdrawn and quiet much of the time. But she would always talk to her Uncle Ethan.
“Daddy wants to talk to you, Uncle Ethan.”
“Okay, sweetheart, and always remember you’re Uncle Ethan’s cupcake.”
“I remember. Nighty-night.”
He then heard her hand the phone over to his brother, Hunter, after telling her daddy nighty-night, too and after exchanging an “I love you” and an “I love you back.” It was only then that Hunter placed the phone to his ear. “What’s going on, kid?”
Ethan couldn’t help but chuckle. There was an eight year difference in their ages, and Hunter never let him forget it. But even with that big variation, they’d always gotten along. Like all brothers, they’d had their disagreements, but they’d never lasted more than a few hours. Except for that one time a few years ago when Hunter had tried pressuring him into staying in the family business and getting all those ideas out of his head about making it big in Hollywood.
Ethan had left home anyway to pursue his dream. It was only after the fatal car accident that claimed Hunter’s wife’s life—an accident that Hunter and Kendra had survived—that Hunter had understood why Ethan had to do what he did. He’d learned that life was too precious and fleeting to take for granted. Tomorrow wasn’t promised to anyone.
“Nothing much is going on. Kendra talked a lot tonight,” he said.
“Only because it’s you. She loves her uncle Ethan. Besides, she wanted to ask you all about princesses.”
Ethan grinned. “Yeah, I noticed. What’s up with that?”
“The Princess and the Frog. She’s seen it five times already. I should blame you since you’re the one who got her the DVD as soon as it went on sale.”
“Hey, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for my cupcake,” he said, meaning it.
He talked to Hunter for a few minutes longer before his brother passed the phone to their folks. In addition to the winery, Hunter and his parents ran a small four-star bed-and-breakfast on the property. It was always good to call home because he truly missed everyone, and updates were priceless.
“And you’re eating properly, Ethan?”
He cringed at his mother’s question, knowing he would have to tell her a little white lie, especially when at that very moment the timer went off to let him know his microwave dinner was ready. He had a beer to drink and his dessert would be a bag of peanut M&M’s he’d grabbed out of the vending machine when he’d left the studio today. Paige had invited him to her place for dinner but he had declined.
He removed his dinner from the microwave and said, “Yes, Mom, I’m eating properly.”
“Met any nice girls you want to bring home?”
She has to be kidding. The last few girls he dated weren’t any he would dare bring home for his parents, brother and niece to meet. But then the face of his sexy pixie flashed across his mind and he couldn’t help but think that she would work. For some reason he liked her, and the sexual vibes between them hadn’t gone unnoticed, although it was evident she’d tried ignoring them.
Besides, he didn’t have time to meet girls—nice or any other kind. He had lines to study every night, especially tonight. Frasier had been impressed with him today and had added another scene to his schedule for tomorrow.
“No, Mom, so don’t go planning a wedding for me yet.”
Later that night when he slid into bed, he couldn’t help but think just how blessed he was. Both of his parents were alive and in good health. As the oldest son, Hunter had taken on his role with ease and was the perfect businessman to manage the family’s vast wealth. And Hunter had had the insight to utilize the property surrounding the winery to build the bed-and-breakfast, which was doing extremely well. The reservation list was always filled up a year in advance.
As much as he’d loved Napa Valley, Ethan had known it wasn’t in his blood to the extent it had been in Hunter’s. After college, he returned home and tried working alongside Hunter and his parents, but he hadn’t been happy. Hunter had said it was wanderlust and that eventually he would get over it, but he never did. A year later he had made up his mind to pursue his dream.
So here he was, living in a nice place in L.A. and building the career he’d always wanted. Money was no object, thanks to a trust fund that had been set up by his grandparents as well as the financial standing of the winery, in which he was a stockholder. Of course, every once in a while some smart-ass reporter would ask him why an independently wealthy person would want to work. He was sure Anderson Cooper was asked the same question often enough, too. Ethan wasn’t privy to Anderson’s response, but his was simply, “Wealthy or poor, everyone has dreams, and there is such a thing as continued money growth.”
He reached over to turn off the lamp light, thinking that things had gone better than he’d expected on the set today. His lines had flowed easily, and for a while he had stepped into the role of Dr. Tyrell Perry. To prepare, he had watched medical movies and had volunteered his time at a hospital for ninety days. He had come away with an even greater respect for those in the medical industry.
As he stared up at the ceiling his thoughts shifted to the woman he’d met that day, Rachel Wellesley. There had been something about her that pulled her to him like a magnet. Something about her that he found totally adorable. Even among the sea of model-type women on the set, she had somehow stood out.
And when she had leaned over him to apply whatever it was she brushed on his face, he had inhaled her scent. With his eyes closed, he had breathed it all in while imagining all sorts of things. It was a soft scent, yet it had been hot enough to enflame his senses.
So he had sat there, letting her have her way with his face while he imagined all kind of things, especially the image of her naked.
More than once during the shoot, he had had to remind himself that he didn’t really know her and that it would be crazy to lose focus. But he would be the first to admit that he hadn’t counted on being bowled over by a woman who had to tilt her head all the way back just to look up at him. He smiled, remembering the many times they had looked at each other and the number of times they had tried not to do so. And nothing could erase from his mind the sight of the soft smile that had touched her lips when she’d seen his tattoo and when he’d told her why he had it. If he had been trying to impress her, he would definitely have garnered brownie points. But he wasn’t trying to impress her.
He shifted in bed, knowing he had to stay focused and not let a pretty face get him off track. All that sounded easy enough, but he had a feeling it would be the hardest thing he’d ever had to do.
Chapter Four
“Quiet on the set!
“Take four!
“Action!”
Rachel sat quietly in a chair and watched the scene that was being shot. When she heard two women, Paige and another actress on the set named Tae’Shawna Miller, whispering about how handsome and fine Ethan was, she had to press her lips together to keep from turning around and reminding them about the no-talking-during-a-take policy. But that would make her guilty of breaking the rule, too.
So she sat there and tried tuning them out and hoped sooner or later they would close their mouths. It didn’t help matters to know that Paige was one of the women. Rachel figured she of all people should know better.
Rachel turned her attention back to the scene being filmed and couldn’t help but admire the way Ethan was delivering his lines. He was doing a brilliant job portraying Dr. Tyrell Perry, the sexy doctor with a gruff demeanor that could only be softened by his patients. And from the looks of things, a new twist was about to unravel on the show with Dr. Perry being given a love interest—another new doctor on the hospital staff, the widowed Dr. Sonja Duncan.
Rachel had been on the set talking to one of the cameramen when Ethan arrived that morning, swaggering in and exuding rugged masculinity all over the place. The number of flirtatious smiles that were cast his way the moment he said good morning had only made her shake her head. Some of the women were probably still wiping the drool from their mouths.
Why did women get so silly at the sight of a good-looking man? She would admit she had been attracted to him yesterday like everyone else, after all she was a woman, but there was no reason to get downright foolish about it.
“Freeze! No talking on the set!”
Frasier was looking straight at Paige and Tae’Shawna and frowning. He knew exactly who the noisemakers were, and to be called out by the director wasn’t good. They had caused time to be wasted, and everyone knew Frasier didn’t like that.
“Unfreeze!”
This time around, everyone was quiet while the shooting of the scene continued. In this scene, Dr. Tyrell Perry and Dr. Sonja Duncan were discussing the seriousness of a patient’s condition. It was obvious in this scene that the two were attracted to each other. The television viewers would already know through the use of flashbacks that Sonja’s late husband, also a doctor, had gotten killed when an L.A. gang, intent on killing a man being treated in the hospital, burst into the E.R. and opened fire, killing everyone, including the doctor, a nurse and a few others waiting to be treated.
Rachel figured since Livia was only a temporary member of the cast, there would not be too much of a budding romance between the two doctors, although it wasn’t known just how Livia’s exit would be handled. Frasier was known to leave the viewers hanging from scene to scene, so it would be anyone’s guess what he had in mind. She couldn’t help but wonder if the chemistry the two generated on the set would extend beyond filming.
She hadn’t gotten a chance to get to know Livia. During the makeup and wardrobe sessions there hadn’t been much conversation between them. Her initial impression was that Livia was just as shallow and self-absorbed as the other Hollywood types Rachel had met. She’d seen no reason for that impression to change. Livia had a reputation of being a party girl and as much the tabloid princess as Ethan was the tabloid king. So it would stand to reason the two would be attracted to each other both on and off the set.
“Cut! Good scene! Let’s enjoy lunch. Everyone take an additional hour and be back to start again on time.”
Rachel smiled, grateful for the extra time. It seemed a number of people were in a hurry to take advantage of Frasier’s generosity…in more ways than one, she thought, when out of the corner of her eye she noticed several women bustling over in Ethan’s direction. She rolled her eyes. My goodness, did they have no shame? Interestingly, Livia walked away in another direction, as if the attention given to Ethan didn’t concern her one bit.
Shaking her head, Rachel walked back to her trailer to grab her purse. She had a few errands to do before lunch was over.
Ethan watched Rachel leave before forcing his attention back to the two women standing in front of him. Tae’Shawna had all but invited him over tonight to go skinny-dipping in her pool. Of course he had turned her down. Paige had offered to come over to his place to help him go over his lines. He turned her down as well. For some reason, he wasn’t feeling these two. If truth be told, he wasn’t feeling any woman right now. Except for the one who’d just headed off toward her trailer.